Sea Gulls sweep singles play for 7-2 win at Washington in regular-season finale

Apr 13, 2017

CHESTERTOWN, Md. – The Salisbury University men's tennis team outlasted Washington (Md.) College in a nearly six-hour match on Thursday afternoon, earning a 7-2 victory to finish off the regular season.

The Sea Gulls (16-5) rallied from a 2-1 deficit, after winning just one of the three doubles matches. Freshmen Matthew Ryan and Ian Siew picked up an 8-2 win at No. 2 doubles while the Shoremen (8-4) were able to claim the other two points in narrow matches. The pair of freshmen Patrick MacLean and Colt Williamson, at No. 1, and the duo of senior Grant Hudson and freshman Garrett Malave each lost by 9-7 scores.

Salisbury came out in the singles play, sweeping all six points, including three wins in three sets. Williamson at No. 1 and Siew at No. 2 each won in straight sets to give Salisbury a 3-2 lead. Williamson won 6-3, 6-2 before Siew claimed a 6-1, 6-1 win.

MacLean followed with a 5-7, 6-4, 6-2 win at No. 3 to push Salisbury to within a point of the victory and Hudson sealed the team win, claiming a 2-6, 6-3, 7-5 win at No. 4.

Ryan rolled to a 6-1, 6-2 win at No. 5 and sophomore Andrew Rainger closed out the victory with a 6-7 (2-7), 6-4, 10-8 win at No. 6.

The 16 victories in 2017 match the 2015 season for the most wins in a year since the 2008 team won 17 matches.

The Sea Gulls head to the postseason as the No. 3 seed in the upcoming Capital Athletic Conference tournament. Salisbury will travel to second-seeded Christopher Newport University for a semifinal match next Tuesday, April 18.